Total sanitation programme which was so far been executed by the Rural Development Department is permissible under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

The government has declared seven more taluks as drought-hit in the State. With this, the total number of drought-hit taluks has gone up to 149. Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa told mediapersons here on Sunday that as many as 123 taluks were declared drought-hit in the first phase, followed by 19 more taluks in the second phase.

Now, Sagar, Sorab, Joida, Haliyal, Mundagod, Belgaum and Khanapur had been added to the list. On Union ministers Sharad Pawar and Jairam Ramesh’s visit to Bangalore to take stock of drought situation, Eshwarappa said: “They have failed to meet our demands and their apathy disappointed us.

NEW DELHI, 3 AUG: Reflecting the gravity of the situation, the empowered group of ministers (EGoM) on drought will meet here again on Tuesday, 7 August, to discuss the drought situation in the coun

The southwest monsoon in India this year was expected to be 85 per cent of the long-period average (LPA), with Punjab, Haryana, Saurashtra and Kutch regions in Gujarat and western Rajasthan experiencing drought-like conditions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday. The forecast has a model error margin of +/- four per cent.

IMD considers the 50-year average rainfall of 89 cms as the LPA. Addressing reporters a day after it lowered its overall southwest monsoon forecast from normal to deficient, IMD said drought-like conditions were developing in several parts of the country.

The Union government on Friday granted Gujarat Rs.425 crore for rural drinking water supply and agreed to consider the State’s demand for an assistance of Rs.14,673 crore to meet the acute drought conditions.

The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on drought, headed by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, along with officials, on Thursday held a meeting with Chief Minister Narendra Modi, his Cabinet colleagues and officials.

AHMEDABAD: The central government has announced Rs 320 crore aid for drought relief for Gujarat even though there was no demand from the State. Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and Jairam Ramesh came on their own on a two day visit to assess the situation. During a review meeting with the State Government officials the Centre announced that Rs 425 Crore for supply of drinking water would be released immediately.

The ministers also announced 150 day employment under the MNREGA scheme. At present there is a provision for 100 days employment. They further announced that employment under MNREGA would be given not on per person basis but on family basis.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday made a downward revision of monsoon rainfall this season to “deficient” category revealing that the rainfall during June-September period will

The government on Thursday directed the Karnataka government to submit a revised report on the severe drought prevailing across the state and funds required from the Centre to take up additional relief works.

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who was here to assess the drought situation in Karnataka, said an amount of Rs 286 crore under the National Rural Drinking Water Supply and Rs 334 crore under Watershed Management Programme would be disbursed to the state as a measure to overcome the drought situation.

Rural development ministry asks states to identify development projects under flagship MNREGA.

Pouring cold water on Karnataka’s face, the Empowered Group of Ministers on Drought has asked to scale down “huge” fiancial demand from the Centre and come up with a realistic proposal outlining specific requisitions on short term and long term plans.

Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar held a a two-hour-long meeting with Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and his cabinet colleagues besides officials in the Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore on Thursday.